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The Minnesota Timberwolves chose Derrick Williams No. 2 before last season. In December, the coaching staff told him he had a choice to make. He could throw himself into extra work with assistant Shawn Respert and the rest of the staff to try and establish himself in the NBA. Or he could keep doing what he was doing and join that long list of ''Terrible Twos'' who never panned out in this league. ''I don't want to say any names, but there have been a lot who haven't worked out,'' Williams said. ''A couple have sky-rocketed and a couple have been pretty decent. My whole life I never wanted to be a decent player.'' Yahoo! Sports

Minnesota Timberwolves, Derrick Williams, Shawn Respert 

The Wolves assigned Respert to work with Williams every day after practice, both in the film room and on the court. But the most important challenge for Respert was reaching Williams on an emotional level to spur the kind of growth in his mental toughness that the team saw as the primary problem getting in the way of his development. ''Even watching him in timeouts, he was so frustrated, like a young man who was insecure about 'Is this where he is supposed to be?''' Respert said. ''I saw him get so frustrated where he started to tear up and his eyes started to water because he has no answer to fix this problem that he has.'' Yahoo! Sports

Minnesota Timberwolves, Derrick Williams, Shawn Respert 

He often is the first Wolves player to arrive before games, meeting assistant coaches Bill Bayno and Shawn Respert 2 1/2 hours or more before opening tip, and often is one of the last to leave the practice floor as well. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Bill Bayno, Derrick Williams, Shawn Respert 

Soon thereafter, the NBDL was rebranded as the NBA Development League or, simply, the D-League. Stern moved the D-League's offices to New York and streamlined the operations between the two circuits. Before long, the D-League became a version of the proving ground long envisioned by Stern, with the number of call-ups increasing on an annual basis. "It's been good for me to see guys like [Lou Amundson and Mike Harris] to find their way into the NBA," says Timberwolves player development assistant Shawn Respert, who spent two years working in D-League offices. "I can say their success has come from some of the things we tried to incorporate in the D-League." Last season, a record 44 players found their way from the D-League onto an NBA roster. ESPN.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, D-League, New York, Mike Harris, Shawn Respert 

But on Thursday, Respert will get the best kind of reminder of that past, the one that's so present in everything he does yet that most have forgotten. He'll grin and fend off compliments, but his successes of nearly two decades ago will be foisted back at him en masse. On Thursday, Respert will be inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. On Thursday, we'll remember. Jud Heathcote called Shawn Respert in February to wish him a happy 40th birthday. It's been 18 years since the two started their final season at Michigan State together, Heathcote as the beloved coach and Respert as the shooting guard bound for bigger things. It's been 18 years, but get Heathcote talking, and it's 1995 again. Fox Sports North

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Shawn Respert 

So in Minnesota he tries to be a buffer between coaches and the players. When players struggle, they go to Respert. He invests time and compassion into these young men. He's been in their position as a top draft pick who struggled, and he wants their paths to be different than his. He's getting a sort of second chance, and yet there's no resentment that this new generation of players has the resources he never did. "He doesn't have a jealous bone in his body or feel like he's getting the short end of the stick," Timberwolves assistant Jack Sikma said. "He's just real positive. He wants people to succeed . . . I just think he's got a great grasp of reality and can accentuate the positive and acknowledge all the blessings and good things that he has." Fox Sports North

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Shawn Respert 

And so Respert runs up and down the court. He listens. He high-fives. Again, he has a clear role, a home. He's needed and appreciated. He's comfortable, and this time, he doesn't take it for granted. So maybe he wants to be something more than a player development coach. Maybe he wants a higher-profile job someday. But right now, this is enough. "The most success I've had as an individual person is me showing patience and diligence to be consistent, consistently good at what I do," Respert said. "Whatever happens will happen." Fox Sports North

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Shawn Respert 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Rick Adelman's been working to recast Houston staff in Minny, sources say. Jack Sikma, TR Dunn, Shawn Respert, RJ Adelman likely to come. Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Rick Adelman, Jack Sikma, RJ Adelman, Shawn Respert, TR Dunn 

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports Shawn Respert, director of player programs for the Houston Rockets since 2008, is no longer with the team. His contract was expiring and was not renewed. The Rockets hired Respert after he had spent two years with the NBA Development League. He had been the NBA D-league's director of basketball of operations. FOX 26 Sports

Houston Rockets, Shawn Respert